Comprehensive metabolite profiling, antioxidant potential and anticancer mechanism of the Indian medicinal plant species Vincetoxicum capparidifolium, Apocynaceae

Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses, FTIR, LC-HRMS, and GC-MS profiling of Vincetoxicum capparidifolium revealed a chemically diverse metabolite composition. FTIR spectra indicated the presence of phenolic, carboxylic acid, and alkyl halide functional groups. LC-HRMS identified key components, including alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, and nucleosides, with high match confidence. Quantitative analysis showed elevated phenolic content in the leaf ethanolic extract and high steroid levels in ethyl acetate fractions. The extract exhibited significant antioxidant and HepG2 anticancer activity, inducing apoptosis as confirmed by MTT, AO/EtBr staining, and DNA fragmentation. Network pharmacology, molecular docking, and pathway enrichment studies supported potential anti-liver cancer mechanisms, statistically validated by ANOVA.